Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday marked World Sanskrit Day by calling the ancient language a “timeless source of knowledge and expression” and lauding efforts worldwide to keep it alive. He also outlined the government’s initiatives to popularise Sanskrit over the past decade.
“Today, on Shravan Poornima, we mark World Sanskrit Day. Sanskrit is a timeless source of knowledge and expression. Its impact can be found across sectors. This day is an occasion to appreciate the effort of every person around the world who is learning and popularising Sanskrit,” PM Modi said in a post on X.
Highlighting government measures, Modi noted the establishment of Central Sanskrit Universities, the creation of Sanskrit Learning Centres, grants for scholars, and the Gyan Bharatam Mission to digitise manuscripts. These steps, he said, have benefitted “countless students and researchers.”
World Sanskrit Day, observed annually on the full moon of the Shravan month — coinciding this year with Raksha Bandhan — has been celebrated since 1969 to promote the language’s cultural and intellectual value. Sanskrit Week, held from August 6 to 12 this year, complements the occasion by fostering wider engagement with the language.
Traditionally, Shravan Poornima marked the start of the academic year in ancient India, when students began studying scriptures and Vedic recitation commenced. Today, the observance underscores Sanskrit’s enduring role in preserving India’s spiritual and scholarly heritage.
A classical verse captures its essence: Amritam Sanskritam Mitram, Sarsam Saralam Vachah; Ekta-Moolakam Rashtram, Gyan-Vigyan-Poshakam — meaning Sanskrit, with its elegance and clarity, enriches knowledge, advances science, and strengthens national unity.
